The present invention is directed to an air filter cleaner. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an air filter cleaner which may be used on a job site to clean the air filters of construction equipment and vehicles during normally scheduled down times.
Most heavy construction equipment is powered by diesel engines. Diesel engines and other fuel engines on heavy construction equipment require air filters to ensure that the air taken into the engine is clean even though the construction equipment may be operated in a very dusty and dirty environment. These filters are usually of an annular or cylindrical shape.
In the past, these air filter elements were either cleaned by a process of spraying the filters with water and compressed air from hoses in combination with soaking the filter in a container of water. This process was very time consuming and costly in terms of the amount paid by a contractor to a mechanic or other person to have a filter cleaned. This manual cleaning of the filter also often resulted in pinholes or other damage to the pleated material of the filter. If the pleated material of the filter were damaged, the filter would be useless and the time invested in the cleaning of the filter would be a complete loss. Therefore, in view of these hazards and the high cost of labor, contractors and other users of the heavy equipment usually replaced the filter with a new filter without any attempt being made at cleaning a used filter even though the filters are expensive.
The present invention eliminates the problems previously encountered. The present invention enables the daily cleaning of filters on heavy construction equipment during normally scheduled down times, such as lunch hours, With the use of the present invention, the air filters may be cleaned on a daily basis before the dust and dirt becomes heavy and compacted on the filter. Therefore, the filter is not damaged during cleaning and the life of the filter is greatly increased.
Machines have been known in the prior art for use in cleaning air filters. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,780 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,620,234, both naming Herbert L. Everroad as the inventor, disclose a large machine for cleaning air filters in which water and air is sprayed through the filter. However, the machine disclosed by Everroad is a large machine requiring a compressed air and water supply for the cleaning of filters. The Everroad machine is not adapted to be used as an on the job site portable air filter cleaning device.